I have no issue with anything Welch writes. He is generally very tempered, thoughtful, and sincere in his posts, and brings a learned point of view to the table. Some others here, not so much.

+1

"I’m never under the assumption that you draft for need. You draft the best available football player on the board. ... Because, in the long run, they are the ones who will help you win the most games." - Scot McCloughan

Cappster wrote:I always like to ponder, sometimes to myself and at times to others, about "What if Jesus, instead of coming to Earth 2,000 years ago, came today and started preaching that he was the son of God?" I mean, a long haired middle eastern hippie looking man proclaiming to be our savior?

There you go associating Jesus' looks to those paintings you just finished decrying. If he came today, he would probably dress and groom himself in the manner befitting his ethnicity, region, and generation, just as he did 2000 years ago.

I was referring to Jewish Jesus; not white Jesus that prejudice white people hang on their walls. I was simply stating that Jesus would have a hell of a time getting people to listen to his message today as he is most likely too brown to be considered a messiah.

In his own time, he was part of an oppressed people, and very few considered him to be a messiah, even amongst his own people. Most thought that the messiah would come as a great warrior, to free his people from their oppression, not as a man of peace and humility. It wasn't until the emperor Constantine made Christianity the official religion of Rome, did he gain the status with which you associate him today.

Cappster wrote:how do you feel about what Welch wrote?

I have no issue with anything Welch writes. He is generally very tempered, thoughtful, and sincere in his posts, and brings a learned point of view to the table. Some others here, not so much.

I apologize if I don't come of as being eloquent and sophisticated as many other informed posters do. Hark, my feelings are hurted.

I tend to ask questions and comment a little bit more bluntly than others. If you don't like it then why even respond?

Even the Almighty God has determined a limit to his patience with evil. Just because a person says "I was saved back in 1999" does NOT mean he/she will inherit the Kingdom.

A person can accept God and then change his mind and backslide and then change his mind again.....and return to God. HE will not force Himself upon OUR FREE WILL....

Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

AND
Rev 22:11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.

There are no other chances after this life......
Be careful my friends............CHOOSE GOD

Even the Almighty God has determined a limit to his patience with evil. Just because a person says "I was saved back in 1999" does NOT mean he/she will inherit the Kingdom.

A person can accept God and then change his mind and backslide and then change his mind again.....and return to God. HE will not force Himself upon OUR FREE WILL....

Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

ANDRev 22:11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.

There are no other chances after this life......Be careful my friends............CHOOSE GOD

As simple as this should be, I've always found it a bit confusing at times.

I believe that if someone truly is a part of God's family they will return.

Then again, you look at Paul's letter to the Corinthians where he talks about a "sin unto death." Always heard that interpreted as a saved person sinning to a point that God will literally take them out of the world to save their soul (pretty scary). Attaching that verse to what Paul later says about a person being saved "though as one escaping from a burning building." Tony Evans would always phrase that as "folk who get saved by the skin of their teeth" (little to show for their life).

Then there's the school of thought that leans heavily towards your way of living/lifestyle that tells you of where your heart (and soul for that matter) truly is.

I think both are on par; Christ said a tree is known by its fruit. A tree claiming to be an apple tree better have some apples to prove it.

Confusion kicks in for me with when I have those seasons where I'm just numb and not even trying. Not that I really want to be in a place like that, its just so often I find myself distracted and its not till later I realize I'm far off the mark again.

Even the Almighty God has determined a limit to his patience with evil. Just because a person says "I was saved back in 1999" does NOT mean he/she will inherit the Kingdom.

A person can accept God and then change his mind and backslide and then change his mind again.....and return to God. HE will not force Himself upon OUR FREE WILL....

Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

ANDRev 22:11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.

There are no other chances after this life......Be careful my friends............CHOOSE GOD

As simple as this should be, I've always found it a bit confusing at times.

I believe that if someone truly is a part of God's family they will return.

Then again, you look at Paul's letter to the Corinthians where he talks about a "sin unto death." Always heard that interpreted as a saved person sinning to a point that God will literally take them out of the world to save their soul (pretty scary). Attaching that verse to what Paul later says about a person being saved "though as one escaping from a burning building." Tony Evans would always phrase that as "folk who get saved by the skin of their teeth" (little to show for their life).

Then there's the school of thought that leans heavily towards your way of living/lifestyle that tells you of where your heart (and soul for that matter) truly is.

I think both are on par; Christ said a tree is known by its fruit. A tree claiming to be an apple tree better have some apples to prove it.

Confusion kicks in for me with when I have those seasons where I'm just numb and not even trying. Not that I really want to be in a place like that, its just so often I find myself distracted and its not till later I realize I'm far off the mark again.

Frustrating...

You are not alone. We all succumb to these moments. It's like "getting knocked down and getting UP AGAIN"....the key is getting back up.

We believe in God and Jesus Christ........so we must also know the devil exists. He is the Adversary that roars about seeking "whom he may devour"

And the Good Book tells us to ABIDE IN HIM......Abide in Jesus Christ.

No one will be dragged kicking and screaming into the kingdom of heaven. If by their fruits they have demonstrated they do not wish to have God as the sovereign of their soul, God will not override that desire.

I do believe that there was a man who was here on earth over 2 thousand years ago and that man was the Son of God

I also believe in the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit

I know that God will come back to earth, one day, to 'straighten things out' - I just wish He would do that sooner rather than later

P A T I E N C E - Scot & Jay's goal here is to make this franchise better - it will take time they understand the need to change to primarily building through the draft - plus have some luck go their way

Hadn't seen this tread before, and haven't read all the posts, but to me one thing is real: God exists, He sent His son and the Holy Spirit to save us. Good and bad are not equal, God and good are stronger.

I don't think it's a coincidence that they made the devil a black man who just so happens to have a strikingly similar appearance to the president. Although, I thought they would have painted someone with Obama's likeness as being the anti-christ.

Even the Almighty God has determined a limit to his patience with evil. Just because a person says "I was saved back in 1999" does NOT mean he/she will inherit the Kingdom.

A person can accept God and then change his mind and backslide and then change his mind again.....and return to God. HE will not force Himself upon OUR FREE WILL....

Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

ANDRev 22:11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.

There are no other chances after this life......Be careful my friends............CHOOSE GOD

Interesting, and roughly the same idea that John Wesley had...contrary to the Calvinists ("once saved forever saved").

ToJ going in unexpected directions:

- Free Will rather than Predestination

- Once "saved", having the capacity to be "un-saved".

Interesting book: Rob Bell, "Love Wins", suggests that perhaps Gods love is so strong that He will save everyone.

Even the Almighty God has determined a limit to his patience with evil. Just because a person says "I was saved back in 1999" does NOT mean he/she will inherit the Kingdom.

A person can accept God and then change his mind and backslide and then change his mind again.....and return to God. HE will not force Himself upon OUR FREE WILL....

Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

ANDRev 22:11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.

There are no other chances after this life......Be careful my friends............CHOOSE GOD

Interesting, and roughly the same idea that John Wesley had...contrary to the Calvinists ("once saved forever saved").

ToJ going in unexpected directions:

- Free Will rather than Predestination

- Once "saved", having the capacity to be "un-saved".

Interesting book: Rob Bell, "Love Wins", suggests that perhaps Gods love is so strong that He will save everyone.

Welch, we would all be presumptuous to pretend to KNOW the INFINITE mind of God.

Some of the unsaved in my mind (just a guess) would be: Judas Iscariot, Cain, Lot's Wife, King Saul, etc.........for they grieved away the Holy Spirit.

Some that will be Saved in the Kingdom (in my mind) would be: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Noah, Daniel......the Saints (hopefully my brothers here on THN and me) and many others.....!!!

God will judge us due to the trends and patterns in our life. Hopefully we have followed Jesus' and the Bibles blueprint.

But clearly, some will not enter the gates of heaven: Rev 22:11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.